Per″jure (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p.Perjured (?); p. pr. & vb. n.Perjuring.] [F. parjurer, L. perjurare, perjerare; per through, over + jurare to swear. See Jury.] 1. To cause to violate an oath or a vow; to cause to make oath knowingly to what is untrue; to make guilty of perjury; to forswear; to corrupt; — often used reflexively; as, he perjured himself.
Want will perjure
The ne'er-touched vestal. Shak.
2. To make a false oath to; to deceive by oaths and protestations.
And with a virgin innocence did pray
For me, that perjured her. J. Fletcher.
Syn. — To Perjure, Forswear. These words have been used interchangeably; but there is a tendency to restrict perjure to that species of forswearing which constitutes the crime of perjury at law, namely, the willful violation of an oath administered by a magistrate or according to law.